MN Early Childhood Care & Education
A joint effort by Minnesota foundations to create a comprehensive business plan
The "fact-finding" phase of plan development has produced the following documents:
In February 2008, a small group of Minnesota based foundations and funders agreed to work together to fund a comprehensive business plan to guide the state of Minnesota in the area of early childhood education and care policies for the next five to seven years. Each of the funding organizations has invested in early childhood education and care for many years. The impetus for working together and supporting the creation of a comprehensive business plan came, in part, from the desire of new leaders in the foundation community to help make a lasting contribution to the area of early childhood – clearly a timely and pressing issue in Minnesota.
About the Plan Development
The plan is expected to build on the rich foundation of studies, assessments and reports that have been developed in Minnesota since 2000. The plan will explain, inform and guide stakeholders, policymakers and the public about the investments and activities needed to create a state where all children are ready for school success.
The plan is being developed in two phases: 1) fact finding; and 2) plan creation and refinement through community input. The fact-finding phase, conducted in the fall of 2008, included a comprehensive review of activities, strengths and challenges in Minnesota's early care system, a review of academic literature; and community discussions, including six discussions with communities of color.